Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden (1989) did something almost no NES game did: it told its story with cinematic cutscenes between stages. Ryu Hayabusa's tale of revenge unfolded like a film, and in 1989 that was jaw-dropping.

It's also one of the hardest games on the console — not from bad design but unforgiving design: enemies respawn the instant you nudge the screen, knockback flings you into pits, and the final act sends you back several screens on each death.

Equal parts awe and controller-throwing fury. The cutscenes pulled you in; the difficulty made finishing it a genuine accomplishment.